Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Aaron Posner’s LIFE SUCKS uncannily updates and unlocks “Uncle Vanya” for contemporary audiences

• By drediman
• April 8, 2019
• No Comments

The company of Aaron Posner’s “Life Sucks”, courtesy of Wheelhouse Theater Company at the Wild Project. Photo by Russ Rowland.

In recent years, playwright Aaron Posner has become primarily associated with his trio of barbed contemporary riffs on three classic Chekhov plays – the provocatively named Stupid Fucking Bird, No Sisters, and Life Sucks (respectively after The Seagull, Three Sisters, and Uncle Vanya). Yesterday afternoon, I caught the New York premiere of Life Sucks, courtesy of Off-Broadway’s Wheelhouse Theater Company at the Wild Project. Despite some new, deliciously playful touches (e.g., the actors frequently break the fourth wall, which would be tiresome if Mr. Posner weren’t so perceptive), the whip-smart play surprisingly tracks the underlying work faithfully, right down to many of its important plot points, characters’ names, and essential relationships.

But it’s a risky proposition to update a well-known classic play while retaining its original essence, especially one as oft-staged as Uncle Vanya. Why only semi-update the play when there are numerous sturdy, proven English translations available for the taking? One of the key traits of Mr. Posner’s play is that it audaciously takes the lead in interpreting Chekhov for contemporary audiences. The plays of Chekhov typically ask their viewers to read between the lines to find subtext, often times giving the sense that his plays are devoid of human pulse (begging the question of whether they are tragedies or comedies). The brash Life Sucks endearingly wears its heart on its sleeve, unlocking the well-worn play for today’s audiences in a way that’s both accessible and – against considerable odds – authentically wise. There’s no doubt about it, Mr. Posner’s “Uncle Vanya” is most definitely a comedy.

Indeed, the production has been directed by Jeff Wise with the vitality of a great comedy, which Life Sucks is. In his hands, I’ve never seen Chekhov (basically) more entertaining, thanks in large part to a truly stellar cast. There’s hardly a weak link among them. Standouts include the great Austin Pendleton as the professor, Jeff Biehl as Vanya, and Nadia Bowers as Ella. I don’t think I’ve seen these actors better than they are here. But across the board, there’s a certain uncanny truthfulness to the acting, as if the actors have brought themselves to the role, bravely asking their characters to meet them halfway. They (and the playwright) ask us to do the same with the play, resulting in a kind of alchemy that can only occur in the theater.

HGHLY RECOMMENDED

LIFE SUCKS
Off-Broadway, Play
Wheelhouse Theater Company at the Wild Project
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through April 20